Events 2018-09-14

In a year in which the Missouri History Museum exhibition team has given us the stories of St. Louis' greatest civil rights freedom fighters and returned us to the glory days of Route 66, it would take something truly spectacular for the museum to outdo itself — and yet somehow it's done just that. The museum's new exhibition, Panoramas of the City, is as close to time travel as you can get without involving Morlocks. The show comprises seven floor-to-ceiling size images of scenes such as Charles Lindbergh speaking to a crowd of 100,000 people on Art Hill at his "welcome home" party and a 1920 march on Olive Street by the League of Women Voters. These massive photographs are joined by props and interactive media displays that give viewers a better understanding of the historical context of each scene. More than 60 panoramas of various sizes round out the exhibit, which will be on display from September 2 to March 24, 2019, at the Missouri History Museum (Lindell Boulevard and DeBaliviere Avenue; www.mohistory.org).
free admission

The Muny is just about to open its landmark 100th season, and its neighbor, the Missouri History Museum (Lindell Boulevard and DeBalivere Avenue; www.mohistory.org), celebrates the occasion with an exhibit dedicated to the history of America's largest outdoor theater. Muny Memories: 100 Years on Stage features exhibits that explain the founding of the theater, display favorite memories from stars and staff, and give a look back stage to see how the dedicated technical crew creates and rigs all those sets and lights. You can also take a look at programs from the Muny's long, storied past. Muny Memories opens on Saturday, June 9, and remains on display daily through June 2, 2019. Admission is free.
free admission

Lola Álvarez Bravo was a Mexican artist, educator and curator whose life spanned nearly the entire twentieth century. From the 1930s to the 1970s, Álvarez Bravo crisscrossed her way across the country with camera in hand, creating portraits of other working artists. Always shooting, she also made images of regular people and the architecture — both old and new — at a time when Mexico was rapidly growing and transforming. Lola Álvarez Bravo: Picturing Mexico, the new exhibition at the Pulitzer Arts Foundation (3716 Washington Boulevard; www.pulitzerarts.org), features more than 40 of her black-and-white photographs in all their glory. Picturing Mexico opens with a free reception from 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday, September 14. Also debuting the same night are more than 60 sculptures by Ruth Asawa, who often worked with wire. Both shows remain on display through February 16. The Pulitzer is open Wednesday through Saturday.
free admission

The Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis opens some of the most ambitious and vital shows in its history this month, with a series of exhibitions by, and about, black artists and the black experience. Sanford Biggers works directly with the materials of his forebearers — quilts and African sculptures — only he reshapes and repurposes them as contemporary statements about black identity, history and trauma. Biggers gives found quilts new life with new handwork, encoding personal messages into their original pattern. The fact that the work of an anonymous black craftsman or woman now appears in galleries and museums around the world, even in Biggers' modified form, is both subversive and celebratory. With wooden sculptures, some of which are copies, he dips them in wax and then works them over with firearms. What begins as a statue of a human or human-shaped supernatural being becomes obscured, disfigured and unrecognizable through the violence wrought upon it.

In addition to Biggers' work, CAM presents a show of the private photos of Jean-Michel Basquiat. Basquiat emerged from the New York City hip-hop/punk/graffiti scenes in the 1970s as one-half of the graffiti duo SAMO, along with Al Diaz. The pair together tagged buildings with cryptic phrases denouncing the establishment, politics and religion, always signed "SAMO" (an acronym for "Same Old Shit"). When the duo broke up, Basquiat performed in the noise rock band Test Pattern (later named "Gray") with Vincent Gallo and Michael Holman. He lived on the streets, sold drugs and experimented with Xerox art, painting and drawing. Basquiat Before Basquiat: East 12th Street, 1979-1980 will showcase everything the artist made while living in a small East Village apartment with his friend Alexis Adler before he hit the big time. It's a treasure trove of paintings, sculptures and works on paper, as well as Adler's photographs of his friend.

Both exhibitions open with a free reception from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, September 7, at the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis (3750 Washington Boulevard; www.camstl.org). The shows continue through December 30.

The Field House Museum presents "Let’s Play Ball!: Historic Games of America’s Favorite Pastime". From board games to bagatelle, this exhibit shows how baseball has been played off the field for decades through the unique, vibrant, and artful collection of Mr. Ed Nickels. Come see games based on baseball greats like Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, pinball’s predecessor, baseball cards from unlikely sources, and a few games made right here in St. Louis. "Let’s Play Ball!" is sure to be a home run.
Join us for the exhibit opening of "Let’s Play Ball!: Historic Games of America’s Favorite Pastime" which will be held at the Field House Museum on Friday, July 20, 2018. The evening will include a special presentation by the collector himself, Mr. Ed Nickels, at 6:30pm. Guests will be entered in a special baseball themed give-a-way, meet members of the St. Louis Brown Stockings Vintage Base Ball Club, and enjoy hors d’oeuvres sponsored by SqWires Restaurant. Don’t miss your exclusive chance to view a Cardinals 1926 National League Champions Pennant, on display one-night-only for this special event.
$5-$10

Kendrick hosts an evening of face-melting jazz improvisation with his band mates Bernard Terry on bass and Joe Hibbs on drums. Top players from all over the city (and the Bistro) line up at the door to sit in. You have to see it to believe it, this is the hottest jazz show in town. Enjoy some Mexican Street Food with your music.
Free

Join us every Friday from 10pm-1am for a night of music with Sam Golden. Enjoy a drink and listen as country, pop, rock and jazz standards all blend under Sam's deft hands.
Requests and sing-a-longs are encouraged.
Free